Achieve Co-Creative Synergy by Moving from a Passive to Collaborative Construct

When we come together in a creative scenario, there are many phases we go through as a team. The co-creative process takes on many different forms throughout a meeting. It is of the utmost importance that we understand these forms before we do anything else. The goal here is to reach a level of co-creative synergy. Some people refer to this phase as simply 'flow' while others tend to use the term 'switched on.' Either way, we want to reach a stage in which the entire team works together to create something brilliant.

Innovation is something that people struggle to understand, but it needn't be a mystery. In fact, this notion comes from the collaboration of people. If we dissect that word for a moment, it all becomes clear. You'll see that the 'coll' means together, 'labor' means working, and 'ation' means action. That is to say that in working together, we can make changes and create new things. Let's take a look at each phase of this unique and interesting process.

Passive

When we first find ourselves in a creative situation, there is always a level of passivity. The fear of rejection is at the core of this phase. After all, we are all unsure that the crowd will want to hear our ideas and opinions. This phase is not a productive one and should pass as quickly as possible. There is a potential risk factor here, which is why people tend to hold back and say nothing.

Aggressive

The next phase is vital. When people first have ideas, they may be crude and ill-formed. During this phase, people are unsure of how they ought to express themselves, but they are aware that they have something to say. There is an element of frustration here. People want to share their opinions with the crowd, but can only vent them in an unskillful manner.

Constructive

After the aggressive phase comes the constructive one. At this point, people are much calmer than in other phases. They are aware of their ideas and notions, and can now express them in a timely, ordered way. Things can be much more precise now than they once were, which means that everyone has a chance to make themselves heard. It is now that the group starts to form creative ideas and work together, rather than against one another.

Co-creative

The co-creative phase is the aim of any creative situation. This phase is where the creative synergy comes into play. After the constructive phase, people begin to work together in a synchronised manner. That is to say that they start to create something rather impressive, within the work environment. Now we are in the 'switched on' phase, which we all hope to achieve at some point. It is now a collaborative stage, in which everyone can work together. At this point, the team can experience the highs and lows of the creative process together. There is a certain energy to this level, which you ought to understand. The team must stay on topic during this phase so that they can work as one.